I have just returned from a 10-day family trip to South Korea. Seven of us, age seven to 71, made the pilgrimage back to the land of our daughter and son’s birth. Everything about the trip was extraordinary, beginning with Sally’s invitation to have us join her.

Sally left South Korea in 1984 at age 17-months to begin her life in the United States as our adoptive daughter. Her return 34 years later with her entire extended U.S. family: two children Jaden (13) and Sasha (7); her partner, Joe; her father, Dave; my partner, Christina; and me was a pilgrimage of immense proportion. It will take us a long time to fully understand the impact of that trip on each of us. I begin my integration here with some photos and narrative and a bow of respect to a beautiful country with a long, complex and proud history.

On one level the trip is a story of spring time superlatives: gorgeous light pink cherry blossoms, multi-colored traditional hanbok costumes, fragrant food carts, and open-air market stalls of many, many items made in Korea.

Sasha at the cherry blossom festival

Traditional hanbok dresses

Joe and Sasha buying some street food

Carefully advertised pride in local products

On another level it is a story of an American family discovering its roots. I knew very little about Korea when we adopted Sally and Brian. I am only slightly more educated now, but feel a new alignment and kinship with the country and its kind, thoughtful people. Despite the fact that we collectively only knew one word in Korean, gamsa-hamnida(thank you), we managed to figure out subway and bus routes, restaurant menus, and taxi directions using rudimentary communication and gesturing because people were so kind to us. In one case, a young man even came out of his shop to hail two taxi cabs to a nearby park whose name we pointed to on our map.

We spent several days in Seoul, which was still gleaming in all its post Olympic beauty. The mix of old and new and the sheer density of everything was immediately striking: spectacular skyscrapers next to the traditional south wall of the city; alleyways containing many, many small restaurants and shops.

Sasha and the guard at the traditional South Wall of the city—note skyscrapers extending beyond

Our family in a traditional Hanok village found a surprise

The corgi dog we spotted in an alley way.

Sasha,Sally, and Jaden heading off to explore the first morning in Seoul

The longest stop and heart of our trip was Busan, beautiful port city and birth-home to our son and daughter. Sally said, “Somehow I imagined coming from a small fishing village.” With 3.5 million people, Busan is the country’s second largest city and the 9thlargest port in the world.

Busan, the bustling world class port

Busy night scene in Busan

The city with cherry blossoms all over its hillsides

We spent our first day enjoying a hike at Igidae Park which gave us expansive views of the skyline and the Gwangan Bridge. The walk itself took about two hours along a forested path just above the seashore. Though there were numerous Koreans out enjoying this coastal walk, our group of seven found a rocky seaside nook to share some stories about Brian’s life and then each of the seven of us took some time alone to scatter his ashes on the seashore of his birth city.

Looking at Busan from Igidae coastal park where we scattered some of Brian’s ashes

In the spirit of honoring rituals, we journeyed the next day to the community of Jinhae where the annual Korean Cherry Blossom festival is held for 10 days. It is estimated that nearly 2 million people attend the 10-day festival. I would definitely believe there were 200,000 people there on our visiting day! Crowded, yes. Respectful, definitely. Beautiful, for sure.

Joe and Sally at the cherry blossom festival

Traditional male dancers at the Jinhae cherry blossom festival

Grandmothers dressed up for Easter and the cherry blossom festival

Riding back to Busan on our tour bus, we were amazed at the number of high-rise apartment buildings alongside the roadway. Two-thirds of South Korea consists of mountains and hills. Only 22% of the land is arable. Every inch is needed to grow food for its 51.25 million people.

Our final full day in Busan took us to the Jagalchi Fish Market where we marveled at row after row of fish, eel, octopus, clams, sea squirts, and seaweed. Our granddaughter, Sasha, became intrigued with one stall where dozens of live octopus kept trying to escape from a crowded plastic tub. She and Christina wrote and illustrated a book titled, “The Girl who Saved the Octopus.”

Jagalchi Fish market stalls

A fresh basket of mussels, clams, shrimp, and octopus

Woman vendor selling octopus at fish market

Sasha and Christina writing their book, “The Girl Who Was An Octopus Saver”

That final night we took a harbor cruise to see Sally’s city from the water. Busan is lit up like a world-class city—office buildings, bridges, etc. I said to Sally, “Wow, you really come from some where beautiful!” It was an emotional evening for all of us.

Cruise ship at night in Busan

Our cruise ship going under the Gwangan Bridge in Busan

Returning to Seoul for several of days of integration, we found comfort in our new familiarity with outdoor markets, local food, and subways.

Sally’s father and Christina eating at a Korean barbecue in Seoul which furnishes gloves to keep your hands clean

Lantern lights for the celebration of Buddha’s birthday in Jogyesa Temple, Seoul

Jaden, Sally, Christina, and Sasha at Seoul’s Namdaemum Market

Home now, I offer a deep bow of respect to the incredible adjustment my daughter has made these many decades to creating a beautiful life in the U.S. And a bow of gratitude that we were able to bring some of Brian’s ashes to the shore where he was born.

Now we walk with curiosity into the meaning-making story this trip will have in the generations of our family.

Ann, I’m reminded that we’ve never been to Korea, despite having adopted two children from there in 1972. I tearfully read your descriptions of the beautiful land and people and now clearly want to go. Bless all of you and bless our beautiful children.

Thanks so much for sharing this. This is what I’ve been wanting — to hear of your saga — and the pictures really help to experience it with you. You were blessed to have such a wonderful trip together — yay for all of you!

Such a blessing reading about and seeing this journey…all together, with Brian’s spirit holding your hand. A dream of many years came to fruition. From these tiny infants to decades of life. bless you and Dave in the journey you began. What a privilege…

Thank you, Ann, for these beautiful photos that help us get such a sense for your trip. I have many questions (why are they wearing gloves when they eat?) but look forward to more blogs on Korea. it reminds me that most Americans come from someplace else and these roots run deep in us in ways that we do not understand. I always assumed I was from a fishing village, too, but I don’t know!

Dearest friends, what a beautiful story. Learning a little bit about your own roots and sharing it with your parents and your children. Taking with you the ashes of your brother. How wonderful for Sally and your whole tribe. A contribution to inner and outer peace. Thank you for sharing.

Ann, beautiful story that I couldn’t wait to read about! Thanks for sharing so meaningfully. Enjoy your “walk with curiosity into the meaning making story this trip will have in the generations of our family” as perhaps this adventure was just as profound for you as it was for Sally. What a gift from EF – what deep human care expressed – giving hope during these times. May you take all the time you need to process and deepen your understanding of this experience. Hugs.

Joyful tears of recognizing the depths you facilitated for your family’s experiences. Yes, it will take a very long time to reverberate, to process, and to bring back into the light to share in new and creative ways wherever each of your family will journey. Thanks, Ann – this is a gift for all.